On Labor Day, Dean Kurt Dunkle surprised the General Seminary community by doing some gardening on the Close to spruce things up for the first day of Michaelmas 2013 classes. The labor of love included planting a newly acquired fig tree for the beginnings of a Biblical garden.

"I was quietly reading when I heard the sound of scraping outside my window," said Joanne Izzo, M.Div.'13 and S.T.M.'14. "I looked up expecting to see the general maintenance crew. Who do I see? Kurt, rake in hand, weeding and cleaning. How thoughtful and pastoral!"

Clearing away in front of Dehon, the Dean discovered several herbs. "A sprite came along and planted basil, lemon-thyme, and rosemary," explained Deirdre Good, Academic Dean, also spending the holiday on the Close.

Together, the three began to imagine an intentional GTS herb garden. Then, inspired, the Dean thought of the fig tree and brought it over, removed a bush that had failed to thrive, and planted the beginning of a Biblical garden.